Many people give up on their dreams and aspirations once kids come along. Endless sleepless nights, crying babies, restless toddlers, and hyperactive kids all combine to put the plug on any ideas you may have had of going back to school. However, although enrolling on a further education course is never going to be a piece of cake, it can be done.

Why Bother with Education?

Education is important for a number of reasons. Education can open a door to a new career, it can boost your income, and it can broaden your mind. Numerous stats prove a degree education can significantly enhance your employability and earning potential. Improving your education and skills is also useful if you want to move to a new position within your existing career path. For example, if you are a nurse, working for an MSN in administration via an online RN to MSN course will help you move into a senior administrative position, which could be a smart move.

Once you have decided that education is the right move for you, the next step is to work out how you can juggle the demands of a further education course with your family responsibilities. It can be done, but the age of your children will play a big part in how easy this task is.

Online Learning

Online study is the best course of action when you have younger children, as you can work at home rather than attending classes elsewhere. If your kids are teenagers, this is less of an issue, but it can still be helpful to study online; it is also cheaper if money is an issue.

Working around Children

Babies are easy to work around since they sleep for long stretches and don’t need much entertainment. You should be able to work when your baby sleeps, unless you are sleep deprived, in which case ditch the books and have a nap instead, since you won’t be able to concentrate anyway.

If you have toddlers, try to study when your toddler has a playdate with a friend, or use DVDs to give yourself some peace and quiet for an hour or two. Be creative with your time and you can fit studying in.

With older kids, there are greater opportunities to make time for studying. Older children are more self-sufficient, so you can work around their school schedule and after-school activities.

Try getting up an hour earlier than normal if you have a deadline to meet. It is usually quiet at the beginning of the day as everyone else is in bed, so this is a great time to get work done. Brew a coffee, switch the laptop on, and enjoy the peace and quiet – it won’t last for long!